Iron Man 2 Drill

Robert Downey, Jr. vs. Mickey Rourke as Mr. Gravelly-Voiced Bad-Ass Whomever...Ivan Vanko/Whiplash. The Superhero must face down a Formidable & Ruthless Opponent in the first franchise-sequel. I've now seen Iron Man 2 (Paramount, 5.7) in a compressed form -- I know exactly what's coming. All that's left is to sit through the long version at an all-media screening, write "pretty good" and then stand back as the Eloi masses surge into the plexes.

"I'm afraid we can only do, absurdly, what has been given to us to do, right to the end." -- from Jean Anouilh's Becket.

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 8, 2010 at 9:11 AM

comment #1

Mo'Nique Waltz Author Profile Page says ...

I hihnk this looks funny and entertaining as hell. Good for Rourke and all involved. I might live in NYC, but thinking this makes me a part of the "herd," then so be it. I like the casual charm of RDJ in this. The man is a star after all these years. Let him enjoy it, Wells.

Posted by Mo'Nique Waltz Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 9:49 AM

comment #2

joe banks Author Profile Page says ...

wake me up when the superhero movie genre has been completely run into the ground. should be sometime around the third Hulk reboot in 4D.

Posted by joe banks Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 9:51 AM

comment #3

Jeffrey Wells Author Profile Page says ...

Did I say that people shouldn't enjoy it? Did I say Downey or Rourke are going to suck? All I said is that that it's following the same pre-ordained super-franchise sequel script, and that we're all about to play our respective parts in the forthcoming release & digestion of this film.

Posted by Jeffrey Wells Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 9:55 AM

comment #4

PCP Author Profile Page says ...

Well, of course ... was this movie to be made for any other reason but FOR MONEY!

no other reason.

Posted by PCP Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 9:55 AM

comment #5

Floyd Thursby Author Profile Page says ...

I like the idea of Shandling as senator.

Posted by Floyd Thursby Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 9:56 AM

comment #6

Eloi Manning Author Profile Page says ...

I enjoyed Iron Man 1, but did think it was a bit overpraised. Like the first Spider-Man, it went rapidly downhill after the origin/costume-designing part finished. It also had a weak villain; not Bridges' fault, but when the main antagonist in a superhero film is a businessman, it's not too thrilling.

Posted by Eloi Manning Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 10:04 AM

comment #7

televisiontears Author Profile Page says ...

Well I certainly didn't expect to see Becket quoted in reference to Iron Man today.

Posted by televisiontears Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 10:05 AM

comment #8

Eloi Manning Author Profile Page says ...

This one looks pretty good.

joebanks: The Avengers film will kill off the current wave of superheroes. Any credibility Iron Man has will evaporate when he's paired with a NORSE GOD, a giant green monster and a time-travelling super soldier from WWII.

Posted by Eloi Manning Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 10:09 AM

comment #9

THE MovieBob Author Profile Page says ...

Stuff like this is where you can really see the movie-geek/traditionally-cinephile divide, for good or ill.

Wells is right, objectively it's a beat-for-beat "superhero sequel" trailer. But I can't help but look at the "something more" aspects of it - knowing what's supposed to be coming (or, rather, what "usually comes") in this story/universe. As in: That "narcissism" scene, in any other trailer you KNOW that's the Act II Hero Hits Bottom scene; but here I'm thinking "Okay, that's Nick Fury though, so is this the end of the movie and "To be continued in: The Avengers" is about to fade up? Are they about to be interupted for some S.H.I.E.L.D. staffer to wheel in a half-thawed Captain America?" Or when you see Johansson, one side of me says "okay, new rival love-interest, obviously"... but the other side is going "Okay, that's Black Widow. Is she good or bad here, and is THAT the lead-in thread?"

Mainly, though, I like that he has a "travel" costume in his suitcase. That's so cool.

Posted by THE MovieBob Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 10:14 AM

comment #10

BurmaShave Author Profile Page says ...

Why couldn't they have just stuck with the first trailer, it was fine. Preserve some mystery. I guess they're trying to get some of that Rockwell MOON heat.

Posted by BurmaShave Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 10:27 AM

comment #11

Meegosh Author Profile Page says ...

Really looking forward to this one. If history stays true this will be really good and then the third one will be horrible. Spiderman, Xmen, Batman, they were all superior to the original because they didn't have to mess around with an origin story. The 2nd is always what you would get if you just assumed that everyone knew the origin already. It doesn't even feel like a sequal. Now when the third one comes around it always falls off a cliff. To much of their efforts go towards "topping" the one that came before it, instead of just worrying about making a good story.

No doubt in my mind that The Avengers is going to be horrible. To many Heroes that all need screen time and its going to make for a not fun story to watch. The heroes seem much more believeable in their own universe as well. A guy in a robot suit, ok I can believe that. A Norse God, I can take that too. But you put them together and it just seems like thats a bit to much. Besides, what do you need a guy in a metal suit for when you have a freaking NORSE GOD. Let alone Captain America who doesn't even have any powers, hes just the ultimate human speciaman. How is he supposed to hold his own against God's and Green Giants that can lift army tanks like they are nothing. Its not going to fit together.

Posted by Meegosh Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 10:30 AM

comment #12

bluefugue Author Profile Page says ...

If you aren't QUAKING IN YOUR BOOTS with drooling anticipation at the thought of Robert Downey Junior donning a metal powersuit, hurtling through the air, and BLOWING SHIT UP while tossing off delightfully self-referential and irreverent QUIPS and BONS MOTS, then I just have no basis of reference from which to view you as a fellow member of the human species.

Wait. Strike that. It looks fairly uninteresting.

Posted by bluefugue Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 10:32 AM

comment #13

Gordn27 Author Profile Page says ...

It looks the same as the first one. Downey successfully distracts you from just how cliched the script is.

Posted by Gordn27 Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 10:36 AM

comment #14

York "Budd" Durden Author Profile Page says ...

What, is there a Lex template I can DL for formatting comments like the above? AWESOME.

Posted by York "Budd" Durden Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 10:37 AM

comment #15

Mr. F. Author Profile Page says ...

You know, now that I think of it -- we had another thread (the CE3K one) to discuss "movies you initially loved but that fell apart on future viewings."

I saw IRON MAN in a crowded house opening weekend, and everyone ate it up, myself included... when I tried watching a second time at home, there was definitely something missing. Not a bad movie, but kind of hard for me to sit through a second time -- lots of long stretches of 'meh'. Serviceable... but nothing special except for RDJ's performance.

Posted by Mr. F. Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:01 AM

comment #16

Eloi Manning Author Profile Page says ...

Speaking of gravelly voices, the gravel-voiced voiceover man is hardly ever used in big blockbuster trailers anymore. I know Don LaFontaine died a few years ago, and he seems to have taken the entire industry with him. The only time you really hear voiceover man anymore is on TV, and he's usually the higher-pitched comedy/rom-com guy. "Audiences are falling in love with _______!" etc.

Posted by Eloi Manning Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:07 AM

comment #17

nightheat Author Profile Page says ...

So bored with comic book movies. Sure its going to be a competent popcorn flick, doesn't mean I have to watch it. And I won't. Jeffery is so dead on about this...

Posted by nightheat Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:22 AM

comment #18

quit staring Author Profile Page says ...

I might just be another drooling fanboy, but I just don't undertand ho a movie fan could not be totally psyched for this. Iron Man was hands down the best superhero movie yet, eve if you dont like the capes and tights you have to admit that it was fun and likable and, at the very least, made Downey a superstar.

Will the sequel be a slave to the expected story beats of superhero sequels? Yeah, probably. But Unforgiven di the same thing with Western tropes and is a masterpiece. No one is seeing this because they're not sure if Iron Man will triumph against Whiplash in the end; the reason to see this is RDJr and Sam Rockwell and Mickey Rourke and Don Cheadle hamming it up in killer robot suits while shit blows up and ScarJo kicks as in skin tight leather. There is just so much talent and goodwill involved, how could you dismiss it with a "meh"?

Posted by quit staring Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:24 AM

comment #19

quit staring Author Profile Page says ...

"So bored with comic book movies. Sure its going to be a competent popcorn flick, doesn't mean I have to watch it. And I won't."

Boy, I bet your farts smell really good, nightheat! Lets watch The Bicycle Thief again and not laugh at all, ever.

And you're tired of superhero movies. Comic books are a vast medium that have been the source material from such diverse movies as "Ghost World" to "A History of Violence".

Posted by quit staring Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:32 AM

comment #20

actionman Author Profile Page says ...

love me some sam rockwell

this is gonna make close to a billion dollars, no?

Posted by actionman Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:40 AM

comment #21

Colin Author Profile Page says ...

Ha The Bicycle Thief could kill a puppy just on viewing. Most depressing film ever.

Posted by Colin Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:44 AM

comment #22

moviesquad Author Profile Page says ...

The whole third act of Iron Man 1 felt redundant and had me checking out mentally. I did enjoy most of the movie up until that point.

Posted by moviesquad Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:48 AM

comment #23

nightheat Author Profile Page says ...

Dude, I'm not being pompous, just stating that I'm bored with these movies. Very bored. Meaning that I'm agreeing with Wells in his thought that there's really no new ground being broken here... a paint by numbers sequel of a paint by numbers genre... and yeah, we basically just saw the entire film in the trailer.

As far as comic book movies, I liked Watchmen.

Posted by nightheat Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:49 AM

comment #24

PCP Author Profile Page says ...

Scarlett Johanson for the guys to drool over.
Mickey Rourke for the guys to go "hell yeah!" over.

Money, money, and more money for the movie makers!

Posted by PCP Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:49 AM

comment #25

DeeZee Author Profile Page says ...

Doesn't scream "must-see" as much as the first one. The robot shoot-out's about the only draw for me. Seeing Rourke so out-of-place makes me understand people's qualms about Church in Spidey 3. Bad mis-casting there. Cheadle also comes off totally dull, compared to Howard. What did I say about him being a bad replacement again?

Eloi: Replace Avengers with Kick-Ass, and I'll agree.

Meegosh: You're assuming Avengers will actually get made, and won't get canned for costing too much like JLA.

Posted by DeeZee Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:58 AM

comment #26

JChasse Author Profile Page says ...

"Doesn't scream "must-see" as much as the first one. The robot shoot-out's about the only draw for me. Seeing Rourke so out-of-place makes me understand people's qualms about Church in Spidey 3. Bad mis-casting there. Cheadle also comes off totally dull, compared to Howard. What did I say about him being a bad replacement again?"

So you're saying $130 million worldwide?

Posted by JChasse Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 12:08 PM

comment #27

Colin Author Profile Page says ...

A) JLA was cancelled because it was a shitty idea, not the pricetag.

B) Howard wasn't even a big part of Iron Man(he got canned for being a huge pain in the ass) and no one would say he is a better actor than Cheadle.

Posted by Colin Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 12:13 PM

comment #28

Eloi Manning Author Profile Page says ...

DeeZee: Kick-Ass is kind of an anomaly. I don't think audiences will particularly associate it with the high-gloss Marvel/DC superhero films, so if it sucks, it won't kill the trend off. Avengers will more likely be a Spider-Man 3 style disaster which would put FOUR franchises at risk of needing to be rebooted. And at that stage audiences might just have had enough of the same, tired characters.

Eventually the bubble will burst. I can't complain about superheroes in general, because I've enjoyed Nolan's Batman films immensely, but Marvel and DC are so greedy that they're pushing second-tier characters that are just going to devalue the impact of their big stalwarts.

Posted by Eloi Manning Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 12:20 PM

comment #29

Eloi Manning Author Profile Page says ...

Also, Marvel are apparently doing things cheaply, offering the new Captain America star $300,000 to star in the new movie. No wonder their shortlist is full of low-rent soap actors and Jim from The Office. They're going to end up with another Fantastic Four.

Posted by Eloi Manning Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 12:25 PM

comment #30

quit staring Author Profile Page says ...

Sorry, nightheat. drooling rabid fanboy syndrome.

I just think this looks spectacular, just fun as all hell. But then, I liked Daredevil, too. My taste might be suspect when it comes to superheroes.

Posted by quit staring Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 12:30 PM

comment #31

Gordn27 Author Profile Page says ...

Eloi - Thor is shaping up to be potentially interesting, though. I don't see how you could fuck up a guy who controls lightning too bad, especially with that cast (other than, of course, the main guy).

I like the idea of Marvel trying to do the comic book universe idea on film, but I feel like they're reaching too far too fast. They should be figuring them out on their own terms before trying to figure out how to fast-track The Avengers.

Posted by Gordn27 Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 12:47 PM

comment #32

THE MovieBob Author Profile Page says ...

Eloi,

To be fair, the $300,000 comes with a pretty sure garauntee of further paying gigs in at least one more Cap movie, plus Avengers and whoever's movie they also have him guesting in. Not a bad foundation if you're among the mostly TV guys and C-list model/actor types they've been talking to.

As to whether or not these guys all "work" in one movie... at the end of the day, all they really have to do is "fit" them together in a way that makes basic sense to a 10 year-old boy. If Marvel is seriously concerned with whether or not adult audiences find the pairings "implausible" they're going about this the wrong way. (For all the talk of RDJ's appeal to older audiences, y'know who REALLY loved "Iron Man?" Little kids who like to tinker and build shit in their garage/basement. To the erector-set crowd, that was the best movie ever.)

Posted by THE MovieBob Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 12:50 PM

comment #33

Rich S. Author Profile Page says ...

Don't forget, Disney has purchased Marvel. It's too late for them to tamper with any of the stuff currently in the pipeline, but I doubt they'll let anything come out in the future that might hurt the brand.

Ordinarily, I'd say it would be best if Disney treated Marvel like Pixar, i.e., left them alone and let them do their thing. But Marvel lets even more dogs get out of the kennel than Disney's non-animated department. Maybe a little interference (Lasseter, perhaps?) is warranted.

Posted by Rich S. Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 12:56 PM

comment #34

Eloi Manning Author Profile Page says ...

Rich: I thought the deal was that Disney only gets the superhero rights back if the studios that own them now stop making movies based on those characters. So that's why Fox are preparing new Fantastic Four/Daredevil reboots, before Disney can get their hands on them. It's a shame, because Pixar would probably do a lot more with the characters than the hacks at Fox.

Posted by Eloi Manning Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 1:12 PM

comment #35

Rich S. Author Profile Page says ...

I assume the various studios will continue to have the rights to make movies, but Disney, as owner of Marvel, will have to retain some sort of creative control, won't they? Even if it's only final script approval, it would be an improvement over Fantastic Four and Daredevil.

I'm most curious to see what Marvel/Disney does with Marvel (aka Miracle) Man, which was tied up in litigation so long that no one had a chance to make it into a movie or television show. I'd love to see a very R rated HBO miniseries.

Posted by Rich S. Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 1:17 PM

comment #36

dkaye Author Profile Page says ...

It is my fervent hope that the "third movie" curse doesn't hit Nolan's Batman saga, and I also think "Iron Man 2" looks pretty sweet. Theres also potential in both "Thor" and "Captain America." But overall, the comic book wave will likely wane soon. The more DC and Marvel drill down into their respective mythologies and universes, the sillier and wackier things get. That doesn't mean they still can't produce an interesting Iron Man or even Spider-Man movie from time to time, but a constant churn of sequels or more obscure characters will wear down both the filmmakers and audiences.

Posted by dkaye Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 1:34 PM

comment #37

DeeZee Author Profile Page says ...

JC: If Holmes is any indication, Downey's 15 minutes are on the wane; so I'm betting $80 million opening, $240 domestic, $200 worldwide, which might actually be a bad thing, if it costs significantly more than the last one. [Though its 18-25 demo could be split by Nightmare's second weekend, if the latter flm's WOM is decent.] Man, though May is a boring month this year. I think Robin Hood's gonna have the worst international take, because Crowe hasn't been a draw in a while, and Blanchett doesn't look hot enough to sell to the international eloi. Shrek 4 is probably gonna go better internationally than domestically at this point, unless 'Dragon catches on well enough on its own. Though I'm not sure CG humans sell as well as CG animals, or Up would be doing as well as Ice Age 3.

Colin: Yeah, because if it wasn't a shitty idea(*cough* Superman vs. Batman *cough*), they could totally afford it. And Howard made Iron Man come off less geeky than we seem to be getting with the sequel.

Eloi: You have a point, considering Sky High could have finished the market, too. But Kick-Ass just seems to revel in the worst and most cliche aspects of the genre, which might make at least people at least tired of that shit at that point, if not kill off their interest completely. Anyway, I'm ok with second-tier characters if we get more movies like Blade 1+2. But we're probably gonna be stuck with more movies like Elektra and Jonah Hex instead. As for Captain America, it doesn't need a big budget. It just needs to avoid looking like the 70s and early 90s movies.

"So that's why Fox are preparing new Fantastic Four/Daredevil reboots, before Disney can get their hands on them."

I thought it's because no one really liked the Fantastic Four films, and they went over-budget, to boot. The Daredevil movie actually made money, but the reboot's all about making up for Elektra.

Gordon: "I don't see how you could fuck up a guy who controls lightning too bad, especially with that cast (other than, of course, the main guy)."

Natalie Portman might ruin it. I can't take her seriously in non-rom-com films. Plus, what the hell does Branagh know about directing tentpoles again?


Posted by DeeZee Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 2:42 PM

comment #38

Eloi Manning Author Profile Page says ...

DeeZee:

"If Holmes is any indication, Downey's 15 minutes are on the wane; so I'm betting $80 million opening, $240 domestic, $200 worldwide, which might actually be a bad thing, if it costs significantly more than the last one."

Holmes was a solid hit, and Iron Man did massive numbers. $318m domestic. There's a good chance Iron Man 2 will do Dark Knight numbers, or at least $400m+ this summer.

"Anyway, I'm ok with second-tier characters if we get more movies like Blade 1+2. But we're probably gonna be stuck with more movies like Elektra and Jonah Hex instead."

Blade was handled pretty well, as they marketed it as a horror-action film and not a superhero thing at all. They tried the same kind of alternative approach with The Punisher but totally failed. Twice.

"I thought it's because no one really liked the Fantastic Four films, and they went over-budget, to boot. The Daredevil movie actually made money, but the reboot's all about making up for Elektra."

The FF films sucked ass, and I think they were at least smart enough to realize that there'd be no interest in doing a third. But they're rebooting it sooner rather than later to avoid losing the rights, at least as far as I'm aware. Same goes for Daredevil. I'm actively hoping that both fail, in order to stop this absurd short window of time before properties get rebooted.


Posted by Eloi Manning Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 2:58 PM

comment #39

Krillian Author Profile Page says ...

So if we want to see Iron Man 2, we're eloi? Jeez, I can't win sometimes...

Posted by Krillian Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 3:20 PM

comment #40

joe banks Author Profile Page says ...

let me get this straight, cause I would have thought after Avatar, you were tired of being wrong:

"so I'm betting $80 million opening, $240 domestic, $200 worldwide"

for a sequel to a movie that did $104 million in the US opening weekend and over $300 million total in the US alone.

surely you mean $80 million on the first Friday night, otherwise I can only assume you are so desperately starved for attention that you're setting yourself up for another six months of constant ridicule

Posted by joe banks Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 3:23 PM

comment #41

Live for Films Author Profile Page says ...

It's a nice looking trailer and does have me excited about seeing the film. I am curious as to what else will be seen in the sequel.

I'm assuming the beginnings of Demon in the Bottle will be started for the third film were Stark's alcoholism hits big time, plus there will hopefully more of the Mandarin's overlying (or is it underlying) scheme which should pay off in the third film.

As this is set before the Incredible Hulk we should see more of Stark and Fury getting the team together and possible find out if Thor really does have a cameo in it.

At the end of the day and like Jeffrey says it will be a lot of fun and we all know that we'll go and see it.

Posted by Live for Films Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 3:38 PM

comment #42

CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page says ...

I basically agree with Eloi, Mr. F, moviesquad, etc. that the 1st movie in this franchise is really no great shakes. Really solid opening hour (45 minutes?) where it tells the whole origin story of the suit, then the movie kind of huffs along aimlessly to the end, and not with a particularly good villain.

Meegosh is right about the second movies in these franchises, though. There tends to be some kind of "sweet spot" found in between the (re-)introduction of these characters and trotting them out there so many times that everything starts becoming redundant, cliched, and tiresome. This sweet spot is almost inevitably movie #2.

I agree that the casting is very clever in the way that it sort of reaches out equally to almost every demographic. This thing seems primed to make a whole lotta dough if it isn't a complete piece of shit (and maybe even if it is!).

I was a little worried about Rourke in this, as he dropped out once he became a serious Oscar contender last awards season. I thought this might affect his performance, and he might regress and give a "phone-it-in" kinda performance (which is of course what caused his first career downward spiral).

But he looks pretty devoted, and if that's the case he could actually be this movie's big trump card. This looks like a solid villainous turn, but the bar has been set pretty high in this arena lately, and not just in "comic-book material" (Bardem, Ledger, Waltz, Mo'Nique).

This trailer looks pretty good. Cautiously excited about this one.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 3:41 PM

comment #43

Live for Films Author Profile Page says ...

As for comic book films being on the wane. I feel there will be quite a few more of the superhero films, but what many forget is that comics are not just superhero tales.

Once Hollywood gets over the spandex they'll move onto the indie and non superhero comics

Posted by Live for Films Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 3:41 PM

comment #44

DeeZee Author Profile Page says ...

Eloi: "Holmes was a solid hit, "

It did well as a holiday tentpole movie, but not as a Downey movie. I know it'd probably be doing better than Dances with Smurfs, if 3-d and IMAX weren't an issue, but it still lost ground to a friggin' Chipmunks sequel, for eff's sakes.

"There's a good chance Iron Man 2 will do Dark Knight numbers, "

Seriously doubt that. TDK was a real anomaly, especially when you look at Nolan's track record in general. Even the X-men movies haven't individually made that kind of dough. Spider-Man's the only superhero series which comes close to that kind of success; and that has more to do with the public's overall attachment to the characters than in the case of its competition.

"They tried the same kind of alternative approach with The Punisher but totally failed."

The Jane Punisher movie was actually good, but hurt by the fact that it was up against Kill Bill 2. No one who didn't watch Rome knew who the hell the guy was in the second Punisher reboot. Plus, people probably perceived it as a low-rent knock-off of Wanted.

"But they're rebooting it sooner rather than later to avoid losing the rights, at least as far as I'm aware."

Don't really see the point, unless FOX can actually shoot it within a reasonable budget. The second Hulk actually cost more than the first one, after all. Daredevil can be done on the cheap-at least by Hollywood standards-but the last one had the advantage of Affleck and Matrix-esque movies [I should really call them John Woo-esque.] being a draw. And I think Wanted was sort of the peak of that genre's appeal.

Posted by DeeZee Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 3:54 PM

comment #45

CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page says ...

"It is my fervent hope that the 'third movie' curse doesn't hit Nolan's Batman saga"

Yeah, this has me a bit worried as well, especially due to the fact that they had an "arc" involving the Joker, and presumably with Ledger's death, they've decided to go in a (completely?) different direction.

The second movie definitely ended on a cliffhanger of sorts -- at least emotionally -- and the third movie is definitely an opportunity to do something differently and deconstruct the Batman mythology (in my view, he should be the "villain" of the third movie, or at least the one constantly on the defensive from both the public and his arch-enemies). Sticking the landing here would also be a capper on the Holy Grail of superhero flicks -- would there ever be a more unassailably definitive trilogy released in the genre (TDK haters can fuck off!)?

But that's all a lot of "what-ifs" and "maybes"...for whatever reason no one has really been quite able to "solve" the third picture in a comic series. I trust Nolan as much as anyone, but he does not exactly have history on his side.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 4:04 PM

comment #46

CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page says ...

"Seriously doubt that. TDK was a real anomaly, especially when you look at Nolan's track record in general."

Why on earth would you look at Nolan's track record? It's a Batman movie. He's the star. It's unreal to me that you would look at movies like Memento and Insomnia for any sort of "clue" to how TDK might perform at the box-office, although it does at least provide a start for fathoming your consistently awful prognostication attempts.

Batman movies have always been financially successfully. Even B&R -- which was chastised by seemingly everyone almost immediately upon release -- still had a pretty massive (by '97 standards, anyway) opening weekend.

On the topic of IM2, like I said in my previous post, I don't think it's a franchise I'd want to bet against. It seems to have a lot of momentum, an awfully broad target audience, prime opening date, and recognizable brand (hell, the first IM did a lot better than I ever expected considering it never had a truly mainstream entry into cinema/TV).

$240 domestic seems lowball to me, although you're getting better -- but after that Avatar prediction, how could you possibly get worse?

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 4:24 PM

comment #47

BurmaShave Author Profile Page says ...

Dee you are so fucked up, 11 years ago Downey was smacked out of his mind on the street, now he is headlining two tentpole franchises. I don't really think it's a 15 minutes type thing.

Posted by BurmaShave Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 4:28 PM

comment #48

CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page says ...

"Plus, people probably perceived [the Punisher reboot] as a low-rent knock-off of Wanted."

Who the fuck are these "people?" Never once in my life have I had a conversation about film where these "natural" comparisons that DeeZee makes between two movies ever come up naturally.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 4:28 PM

comment #49

CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page says ...

No shit, Burma, wtf?

Even if he did disappear (or overdose, whatever) 11 years ago and never return, it's not like he only had a meager, Warholian amount of fame. By the time, the guy had a Best Actor nomination, had been a pretty well-respected thespian for at least a decade (even if he did it in mediocre to middling movies most of the time), had serious ties to Robert Downey Sr., James Toback, and Kiefer Sutherland, and had been a constant in the tabloids for years.

Let's be honest -- if his 15 minutes were "up," it was as a cast member on SNL. That was 25 years ago. What planet are you from?

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 4:42 PM

comment #50

CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page says ...

DeeZee says ...

Um, you know who else's 15 minutes are up? That Madonna chick -- what a low-rate Deniece Williams cash-in she is. That broad'll never last!

Posted by DeeZee at March 8, 1985 4:46 PM

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 4:50 PM

comment #51

Chinaski94 Author Profile Page says ...

DZ

Downey has been famous, like really famous, for over twenty years. Not fifteen minutes.

"It did well as a holiday tentpole movie, but not as a Downey movie. "

More proof that you don't know anything. Downey has had two huge hits, unless I'm forgetting something, in his career.

Downey is not a Cruise, or a Will Smith, or a Bruce Willis.

He's thrilled with the SH take.

Posted by Chinaski94 Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 7:17 PM

comment #52

DeeZee Author Profile Page says ...

Kane: "It's unreal to me that you would look at movies like Memento and Insomnia for any sort of "clue" to how TDK might perform at the box-office,"

Memento actually did pretty well in limited. But I'm thinking more along the lines of 'Begins and Prestige, which did ok for their budgets, but not really huge.

Burma: "Dee you are so fucked up, 11 years ago Downey was smacked out of his mind on the street, now he is headlining two tentpole franchises."

Yeah, he got a lucky rebound, and he's managed to coast on that luck so far. But he's acting like he's as big as 90s Tom Cruise now, when he's really only about as big as Shia.

Kane: I think her 15 minutes were up when Sean Penn ended up being more popular than her.

China: Yeah, he was so famous that he did

"Downey has had two huge hits, unless I'm forgetting something, in his career."

Yeah, one's a comic book movie, and the other's G.I. Joe with better talent. That's not really a stretch for him, though.

Posted by DeeZee Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 10:44 PM

comment #53

Chinaski94 Author Profile Page says ...

DZ

Now I know you're a fraud. So who are you? Jeff? One of his kids? That dude that secretly moderates this blog?

Posted by Chinaski94 Author Profile Page at March 8, 2010 11:06 PM

comment #54

LexG Author Profile Page says ...

Johansson is one of the hottest women ever, and as recently as The Spirit she had my jaw on the FLOOR...

But I'd be lying if I said I didn't prefer her waifish, pre-curvy Ghost World/Man Who Wasn't There appearance to the fleshy, fuller-figured post-Woody Allen thicker Yenta era. She was my K-Stew of 2001-2005, but there's a such thing as TOO voluptuous.

She does look incredible in that catsuit with the darker hair though...

Posted by LexG Author Profile Page at March 9, 2010 12:07 AM

comment #55

BurmaShave Author Profile Page says ...

So before she became an adult, basically.

Posted by BurmaShave Author Profile Page at March 9, 2010 4:26 AM

comment #56

DeeZee Author Profile Page says ...

Lex: For real? I didn't figure you for a plain Jane type of guy.

Posted by DeeZee Author Profile Page at March 9, 2010 10:55 PM

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